A Fresh Perspective
by Felwot
Summary: Set after Thor: The Dark World, this story follows Jane as she discovers the truth about Loki. Rated M for later chapters, and does contain TTDK spoilers.
1. Chapter 1

Jane sat alone in her room, staring absent minded out of the window at the stunning views of Asgard. She allowed her gaze to wander, drinking in the sights of this alien world. Children played just as they did on Earth, and adults laughed at their antiques. But beside them warriors sparred, unnatural blue sparks flying between their weapons. Among those practicing, she saw Sif, incredibly elegant, her limbs flying at such great speed, but extending and contracting more beautifully than any Earth-bound ballerina. Her gaze glanced to Thor, whose own sight was focused on that same dancing warrior. Jane let a sigh escape her lips, her eyes falling the embellished floor. Since Thor had declined the throne offered him by his father, he had behaved as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. She was happy for him, truly, but they no longer shared the intense intimacy that had carried their relationship.

Last night had been a feast, one of many, and she had attended, draped in finery, her spirits high despite worries for her future. She had taken the prised seat on Thor's right, but Sif had held the opposite chair. Thor was a gentleman and a friend, but the whole night her made no attempt to touch Jane. She wasn't going to deny that it wounded her, but at the same time, she had no urge to reach out to him either. She saw the sideways glances, the fleeting eye contact, the gentle blushes that Sif shared with Thor, and rather than inciting a jealous swell, it merely made her curious as to how the story would pan out.

Thor had of course walked her home that night, but she had turned away from his dutiful kiss.

"I'm sorry", she said as his eyebrows curled to a frown.

"Why are you sorry, Jane?" She struggled to force the words from her throat, the ones that would set him free. It wasn't that she didn't love him, because she was certain she did. But they had really had such very little time together, and when they were confronted with weeks of the uninterrupted pleasure of each other's company, the sparks that had sizzled between them had died down. Maybe it was not meant to be; maybe the fate he spoke of was one of friendship instead.

All of this raced through her mind, but refused to form into words. His strong hands cupped hers, and she raised her eyes to his. They were filled with such warmth and understanding, and it was that look, that comforting gesture, that opened the floodgates of her mind. The thought poured forth, and they spent what turned out to be a happy night discussing all they had been through, cementing their friendship.

So if she had felt so much relief last night at the truth being revealed, why were tears falling to the tiles beneath her feet?

_Jane was stood by Thor, her head resting against his shoulder. They stood next to Odin, at the head of a meagre crowd. The funeral for Loki was the same as Frigga's, but he had nowhere near so much support. She turned to look up at Thor, but suddenly she was alone, Odin and the rest of those who had come to watch the boat sail away had all disappeared. The boat was still nearby, and she knelt peering into its shadowy depths. She could just make out Loki's face, his eyes wide open, grinning up at her. She began to scream._

The bags under her eyes deepened with every passing day, and Thor's concern grew. He visited her in her chambers many times each day, but she was clearly flagging, and he was scared of tiring her out further. She refused to tell him why she couldn't sleep.

He had taken her to Asgard so they could spend time together, and she so desperately wanted to see his world, but now she just spent all her time curled up at the window, barely even looking out. He was beginning to wonder if there was something seriously wrong with her, some grave illness. She kept claiming it was simply lack of sleep, but after a week of her lacklustre gaze, he refused to take no for an answer, almost carrying her to his father.

The moment Jane laid eyes on Odin she began shivering, a terrible feeling sinking within her. She couldn't work out why, but there was something unnatural, something wrong with him. She met his eyes, and they were cool and distant. His words were filled with warmth, but those eyes. They betrayed his detachment, his superiority. Thor held her close, his warmth comforting her, but she could not stop her shuddering. She didn't hear a word that Odin said, but gathered later from Thor that he diagnosed it as exhaustion, and suggested that maybe it was time she returned to Earth. She didn't have the energy to argue.

As soon as she was back on Earth, the terrible feeling that had gripped her since seeing Odin disappeared. Thor remained that night to ensure she was okay, and she slept right through for a solid thirteen hours. She woke refreshed, so much more like her old self, and Thor was overjoyed at her transformation. They arranged that he would collect her in two months time, just after Christmas, and she would come to Asgard again.

**Author's Note: This is a new idea (I just saw Thor: The Dark World a couple of days ago), and I know not much happened here. It is important that I set up the story first though, and I promise more will happen and the pace will pick up! The plot I have in mind certainly isn't set in stone, so any comments or suggestions are welcomed. Thank you for taking the time to read, and I will update soon! x**


	2. Chapter 2

Jane tapped her fingers against the table, staring frustrated at the screen lying on the table in front of her.

'It's been doing that for days, and there's no sign of him. Now how about you come outside?' Darcy said, her tone infuriatingly patronising. Jane took a deep breath in, and let it out in a slow whoosh. Darcy wasn't infuriating. Thor was. And this damn thing! She picked it up and shoved it into her bag.

'Fine. Let's go.' She grunted.

'Yes! At last! The beast awakes!' Jane just rolled her eyes in response.

Half an hour later they were firmly seated in a booth in Starbucks, looking out at the busy streets of London.

'So when are we leaving here?' Darcy's question was posed on almost a daily basis.

'I told you, I'm not going anywhere, and as my intern, you have be where I am.' Jane could feel the stubborn note creeping into her voice.

'I'm not directly your intern. Can I go?' Ian piped up.

'Shut up, Intern', Darcy said affectionately, punching him lightly.

'I'm not giving up,' Jane said. Thor was only three months late. It was fine. And the readings didn't lie. Someone was approaching from another world. It was just taking them longer than normal.

'Hello? Jane? Seriously, since that thing went nuts last week, you haven't heard a word I've said, have you?' Jane snapped back to attention at Darcy's insistent prodding.

'Sorry, no, I've been paying attention,' she replied absentmindedly. She could hear the whir from her bag, and was trying very hard to resist pulling it out. She knew the screen would tell her the exact same thing it had been telling her for days. After the first twenty-four hours she had assumed it was broken, and had subsequently taken it completely apart, replaced some slightly worn bits, turned it back on to get the exact same readings.

'Jane! Seriously!'

'I'm sorry! Right, focusing. Here. Starbucks. With interns.'

'So how long are we going to wait around for your guy this time?'

'I told you, we're friends. We talked, it just wasn't working out' Jane said.

'Sure, sure. Whatever you say.' Darcy cocked one eyebrow, not breaking eye contact as she sipped her drink.

Jane loved her to bits, but for once she just wanted someone who wouldn't tease so much. She turned to Ian, trying to ignore Darcy's pointed stares, when a loud, shrill, and annoying ringtone burst from her pocket.

'I've got to change that thing!' she muttered as she scrambled around, trying to find it, flushing slightly under the glare of surrounding customers. London was a strange place; everyone trying to stand out, but embarrassed if they ever managed. 'Private number' flashed up on her screen.

'Hello?' she shook herself, annoyed at her slightly breathless tone. 'Hello.' She said again, stronger this time. There was no answer, no sound at all on the other end. 'I must've missed it. They'll call back.'

'In the meantime, can we go back to discussing home? You know, America?' Darcy practically spelled out the country, like she was talking to a child.

'Look, with these readings, its stupid to leave now. It could be anything!' Jane tried to justify it.

'How about you wait here for Loverboy, and once he finally arrives, sweeps you off your feet, shows you space, and deposits you back, you can come find me.' Darcy said, chewing at her straw. She raised her eyebrows at Ian, who smiled awkwardly back. He wasn't about to side against his boss's boss.

'Maybe that would actually be good. And you could take Erik home! He won't say, but I know he's homesick.' She smiled slightly at Darcy's shocked expression. She hadn't been expected to agree. To be honest, Jane didn't even really know why she had. She didn't want to be left alone and waiting in London. Sure, she had spent enough time here to be used to the city, but it was still foreign to her. But maybe what she needed was some alone time.

From the moment she had called Darcy after Thor had left, she felt like she hadn't had a second to herself. There was Christmas, then New Year, and of course, although part of her mind was always on one particular set of readings, there were many other things to be researching. So yes, it would be nice to have some space for a while.

'Seriously? Don't you need us for work? To hold spikey things and run around?'

'No, go. I'm homesick too, but I need to be here when Thor comes,' _if_ she thought. 'There's plenty that I can do on my own.'

And so it was decided; Darcy, Ian and Erik would head back to the US, and she would continue waiting.

One month later, and Jane was in her car, not quite ready to drive away from the airport. They had been sad to leave her behind, but she could tell that they were excited to be going, so she had put on a brave face and smiled through the goodbye.

Alone. She glanced at the screen on the seat beside her, and frowned at the readings. This was a new one, she had built it only last week, but it was telling her the exact same thing. It was unbelievably frustrating.

She jammed the key in, and twisted it, feeling comforted by the engine's purring response. She backed out, and began the slow journey home. Why had Darcy picked rush hour on Friday for them to leave? They had been late at the airport too.

She eventually arrived home, flopping onto one of the cardboard boxes. Her life was all packed up. It was impractical for her to stay in the flat on her own, so she had found a smaller place, outside of London, and was moving there tomorrow.

Her phone blasted out that ridiculous ring tone again, but this time she didn't struggle to dig it out. She took her time, almost certain it would be the same blank call. She answered with a sigh, and let the silence run for a few seconds before hanging up. This happened twice a day. It used to unsettle her, but now she was just resigned to it. She should probably change her number. It was such a faff though. Not worth it to save her a minute of frustration each day.

_Somewhere high above the Earth's surface, a man was walking. His strides were confident, and he grinned as he heard the woman's breath through the small piece in his ear. She always picked up, probably curious, hoping that this time someone would say something. He checked her signal, saw she was still in London, and continued on his trek._


	3. Chapter 3

She stood in the empty sitting room of her new place, gazing through the massive French doors to the garden. It was bigger than advertised, and although there were three more flats in the building, she was the only tenant. So really, it had worked out pretty well.

Her phone rang again, and she was relieved to see Darcy's number pop up on the screen. Although, now she thought of it, she hadn't the mysterious phone calls all day.

"Heeeyyy," Darcy's voice had an immediate soothing effect of Jane. "Get online! I wanna see who I'm talking to," and she hung up. Jane rolled her eyes affectionately, and went over to one of her suitcases, rooting around for her laptop.

She opened it up, and within minutes she had Darcy's face on her screen, Ian and Erik awkwardly crammed in either side of her. The sight of them made her grin.

"Soooo, how's the new place? Show me, show me!" Darcy always had such energy.

"Have you got the internet working yet?" Ian's stupid question earned an affectionate thump from Darcy.

They talked for the best part of an hour, before a knock on Jane's door made her end the call. She got up, glad to be finally meeting the landlord. She walked to the door, and as she entered the hallway, the same sinking feeling she had when she saw Odin started to pool in her stomach. She rubbed her tummy, frowning slightly, feeling as if she might be sick. The feeling got worse the more she walked, and just before she reached the door, she had to stop and slide down the wall, her head falling between her knees as the world span around her. She felt tears streaming down her face, and couldn't stop the sobs escaping her lungs. The last thing she remembered before she passed out was the sound of the front door opening.

* * *

He stepped through the doorway, glancing down coolly at the crumpled woman in front of him. He hadn't expected to have quite such an impact upon her; humans were more susceptible than he had assumed. It was a simple piece of magic, invading her dreams, but when she had come across him in his guise as Odin, he hadn't anticipated her reaction.

The plan had been simply to create tension between her and Thor, and to eventually separate them. He had been debating many ways of tormenting Thor for the ways he had wronged him, and Jane had been his obvious weakness. How was he to know that they had already separated by the time he planted the first dream? The nightmares were not simply to deprive her of sleep; the feeling of terror and helplessness was planted during the nights, but stayed with her throughout her days on Asgard, weak emotions that were to destroy Thor's admiration. When he first learned that they had decided to merely be friends, he was pleased at their split. But when he realised how amicable it was, and how they still cared deeply for each other, he decided that Jane could still play a key role in his revenge.

Upon Jane's return to Earth he knew his influence would be lessened to the point of almost non-existence, and so beyond contact her phone to keep track of her location, he let her be for months, focusing instead on Thor. He did all he could to make Thor miserable. It was plain to see that his brother was falling for his lifelong friend, Sif, and as the emotions were at there most intense at the start of the relationship, he found many ways to manipulate and frustrate Thor. But Sif was stronger than Jane, and it proved more of a challenge than he had anticipated to create a rift between them. However, through creating battles and skirmishes, and a little magic, he was able to prevent Thor from being able to visit the human. He knew Jane still meant a lot to his sibling, and he knew, platonic as it was, the love they shared was strong enough to cause pain should he harm her.

Physical pain was too easy though. His plan was much more complex. If he could break her, turn her into his creature, and then destroy her heart, Thor would be destroyed too. And for it all to have been done by Loki. Well, it would be the proof that Loki could and would have whatever he wanted. He would come back to life, manipulate Jane, reclaim the throne of Asgard that was rightfully his, and watch his brother submit to his rule, a broken man with a broken friend.


	4. Chapter 4

She blinked heavily, rolling onto her back. There was a bright bulb right above her head, and she squinted into the light, trying to gather her muddled thoughts. She rolled onto her side, wincing at a pain in her thigh. She was in the sitting room, and the view outside the windows was of streetlights and stars. How long had she been out? What had happened? She had be talking to Darcy, then there was knock. Then what?

"H-hello?" She jumped, her heart pounding in her chest at the voice. It was behind her, and in her hurry to turn over, she wrenched her painful thigh again.

"Gah! Loki?" she gasped in pain, shock and confusion. She couldn't think straight. It was unmistakably his face, his voice, _him_. But she had watched Thor cradle him as he died. She was there. She saw the last breath leave his body. It was impossible!

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to alarm you. Are you hurt?" That tone. She hadn't heard it before. What did he mean? Did he care? Why was he here? She couldn't say any of this, her tongue feeling dry and swollen in her mouth. She just gaped at him.

"How?" she eventually managed to croak.

"You look like you're hurt. You were out for a while," he said, avoiding eye contact. She began to look at him, really look, and saw the deep grey circles under his eyes, how much thinner he was. And his chest. Blood was seeping from a wound she saw him receive months ago!

"My thigh" she blurted, taking stock of the damage she had received. She was loosely wrapped in blanket she had pulled out to sit on while talking to Darcy, Ian and Erik. Her head was resting on her soft laptop case. Had Loki done that? She tried extending her leg, but yelped in pain. Loki jerked forward at the sound, hurrying from across the room to her side, stumbling over cardboard boxes on the way.

"Where does it hurt?" He sounded nervous, and genuinely concerned. This was not the distant, composed Loki she remembered. The _dead_ Loki she remembered.

"Never mind me, what about you!" She gestured to his chest, surprised at the panicked note in her voice.

"I'm fine. Where does it hurt?" he reached out and began running his hands over her arms and legs, stopping when she yelped again as he touched her thigh.

She struggled up to her elbows, trying not to wince, and pulling the blanket from around her, bundling it up and trying to push it against his chest wound while he kept trying to touch her leg.

"How bad is it?" he asked, not seeming to notice the blanket or her efforts at all.

"Not too bad," the wobble in her voice betrayed her. He looked up at her, his eyes meeting hers, and she saw the nervous energy behind them. He was in pretty bad shape.

"My leg hurts, a lot, but you are worse. Lie down" she felt better for taking control, and what she said was true. He looked at her nervously, the slowly lowered himself onto his back.

The blanket was already pretty covered in blood, and she kept wincing as she pulled herself to sit next to him. She carefully lifted her makeshift compress, taking a closer look at the wound. It was bleeding, certainly, and was quite deep, but it didn't look infected. In fact, it looked fresh. She didn't ask questions though. This was important. She could find out what the hell had happened later.

"I need to try and stitch this up," she said, looking around at all her packing, trying to remember where she had packed her medical supplies.

"I'm fine," he protested, but she ignored him. She spotted the box labelled 'things', and began half dragging, half crawling over there, making sure not to wince too much when Loki could see her face. It was the wrong box, but thankfully the next one contained her bulky green bag. She made it back to his side, but had to breathe for a few moments before continuing. He seemed to have realised that resisting was pointless, so he just lay quietly, watching her every move. She too worked in silence, sterilising, stitching and bandaging.

"It's the best I could do. I'm no professional though," she said when she had finished. He had kept his gaze on her face and hands the entire time, and hadn't flinched at all, even with the creams and wipes that should have stung. Judging by the state of him though, she thought he was probably putting on a brave face.

"Now your turn," he replied, pulling himself into a crouching position by her thigh. By now, it was agony, and even the tiniest movement caused her muscles to scream in pain. His fingers were cold and slightly dirty, so she silently passed him a disinfectant wipe. He looked at it with his head cocked slightly to the side.

"To clean your hands," she explained. Understanding lit up his eyes, and he wiped them clean, before gesturing to her jeans. She debated not letting him help for a moment, but the pain was bad enough that she gave in, helping him to pull the material up and over her knee. She was greeted with the sight of an already deep purple bruise. Just looking at it seemed to make the pain worse.

"Can I press, just a little?" he asked. She nodded, her teeth gritted in anticipation.

He began by placing one hand under her knee, gently bending the joint. It was painful but bearable. Then he put two fingers gently on the edge of the bruised area, applying pressure lightly. She gasped slightly, and he immediately pulled them away. He repeated this movement on several different points of her leg, his head bowed forward, long hair tucked messily behind his ears.

"I think you've just bruised it. It doesn't seem broken," he said at last. She let out the breath she had been holding, and he helped her to lie flat on her back, lowering her injured limb gently to the floor.

"Okay," she said. "Now, want to tell me what's going on?"

* * *

**Author's Note: Thank you so much for all of your support! It really does mean a lot to hear what you think of this. I'm certainly having fun writing it, and I hope you enjoy reading it too :) x**


	5. Chapter 5

"When you and Thor went to that cave, I watched you go."

"But you died! I watched you die, Loki." Jane interrupted. She knew shouted too loud, but it was all too much. She couldn't make sense of it.

"No, I didn't. I was temporarily unconscious," he replied, and she could have sworn she heard a note of sullenness in his voice.

"We thought you had died. If we knew you were alive, I swear we wouldn't have just left," she said, trying to make him hear her honesty.

"I believe you," he said, continuing with his story. "I began crawling to follow you, but when I finally reached the cave, you had disappeared. I must have fallen unconscious again. When I woke, I was in this old empty building, here on Midgard. It took me a few hours to determine what world I was on, and be able to move at all. Then I traced you with some simple magic, but when I got here I heard you sobbing, so I came in. I'm sorry, I didn't know where else to go." He said it all quietly, with his head hung as though he was embarrassed.

"Don't apologise, please," was all she could think of to reply. "That time on Svartalfheim though, it was months ago. Your story only accounts for a day, maybe two."

"It all happened while the worlds aligned. If it were possible to travel between different spaces then, why couldn't it be possible for me to travel in time as well?" She couldn't deny it made sense.

Jane winced again as she tried to move. He moved back to her side, offering his arms for support.

"I'm fine," she said stubbornly, finally managing to get to her feet. She could just about handle putting weight on her sore leg, and agreed with his diagnosis of just a bad bruise.

"Do you know why you collapsed?" Loki enquired from behind her.

"I don't know. I don't remember," she said with a concerned note in her tone. She hobbled through to the bedroom, collapsing onto the unmade bed. Loki followed her in, slightly resembling a lost puppy. He perched cautiously at the end of the bed.

"Jane," Loki said, and she interrupted before he went further.

"If you want to stay here for a bit, I'm not going to protest." She was suddenly exhausted, and she felt her eyes beginning to drift shut.

"Thank you, Jane." She heard him say, before she slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

Loki sat at the end of the bed for a moment or two, watching her breathing even out. Things had gone remarkably well so far. He hadn't anticipated her having such a strong reaction to him in his father's guise, or indeed when he approached the door, but by throwing a shield around his illusions, he was able to counteract the effect. She was clearly exhausted, and would no doubt have more questions for him upon waking, but for now she seemed to be, if not happy, then at least willing to have him here in her abode.

His plan was still in its infant stages, but judging by the way she accepted his help, it could progress smoothly. He got up from the bed, and walked through to the main room, careful to limp and look weak until he was out of the room, just in case she saw him. He would have to be careful to continue his ruse. However, he doubted she had that much knowledge about him and his race, so he would be able to 'heal' fairly quickly. He picked up the blood stained blanket, and took it to the kitchen sink, beginning to scrub it clean. It was important he made sure she thought he truly cared for her, and was grateful. His 'reformation' had started when he helped her and Thor, perhaps most specifically when he saved her life, but he knew he still had to do a lot to earn her trust. And he could start by cleaning the blanket and making sure she woke up tucked into it.

**Author's Note: Thank you again for the kind comments :) They mean a lot x**


	6. Chapter 6

Jane woke up slowly, her eyelids heavy and her body aching. She must have really knocked herself. Her sleepy thoughts circled around Loki, trying to make sense of everything that had happened. Had he really survived? Was it possible? She thought over all the research she had being doing, and it made sense for time travel to have been possible as well as space travel, so that part of his story was definitely believable. But she had seen him die. Thor had held him. How could he have survived? It was all still confusing, but she decided that what she needed was to try and not think about it and have a long, hot shower to ease her aching muscles.

She stretched her arms above her head, noticing her now clean blanket. She smiled slightly. She swung her legs slowly out of bed, cautiously testing her body to see what she could and couldn't manage. It was all sore and achy, but she managed to hobble to the suitcase at the end of her bed, pull out a towel, and make it to the bathroom.

* * *

Loki heard the shower turn on, and, roused himself from his pose. He had been sitting on the floor all night, concentrating on his illusions on Asgard. At this distance, it took more work to maintain them. He had set them up for the next day though, so now he could focus on the human. He stood up and stretched, before refreshing his wound. It had 'healed' surprisingly well in such little time. She would no doubt want to change the bandages, and he would be able to check her leg again. It was all about creating that intimacy.

* * *

She stepped out of the shower a little more easily than she had got in, her muscles much more pliant after the steamy heat. Reaching for the towel, she began drying her hair and body, taking her time to avoid straining anything further. She then wrapped it around her tightly, and stepped back into the bedroom.

"Good morning." She almost shrieked when she saw Loki sat upon her bed, and her hands instantly flew to her chest, pulling the towel tighter around her. All of a sudden she was incredibly self-conscious of the amount of leg she had on show.

"What are you doing in here?" she hissed at him.

"I am sorry if I offended. I heard you get up, and thought I would come through and see how you felt this morning. I myself feel much improved for a night's rest." He had his calm composure back today, and smiled at her. It wasn't the aloof smile he had given her in Asgard though. This one seemed genuine, if a little cold still.

"I'm sorry, you just shocked me," she said, realising her overreaction. He just wanted to see how she was. He was being nice.

"I can see your bruise has blossomed," he said, with a small gesture to her thigh. She glanced down, and her eyes widened at the deep purple that covered half her limb. "May I?" his voice was suddenly close. She hadn't heard him move towards her. She nodded dumbly. He knelt at her feet, his slightly cool hands coming to rest on her leg, one behind her knee, the other ever so gently resting on her bruise. She felt a blush begin in her cheeks and seep down her chest. She pressed her legs a little closer together, mortified at the thought of what he might see.

He was a perfect gentleman though, his gaze never straying from her thigh, and his hands only touching where he needed to. He stopped as soon as she winced, and moved to check another part. After a few moments of this, he stood up, a fluid, elegant motion that left her feeling a little breathless. He stepped away quickly, leaving a gap between them.

"I know it looks and feels painful, but I still think it is just a bad bruise," he said. There was silence for a moment.

"Are you hungry?" she said, breaking it before it became awkward.

"Yes, I admit I am a little." He replied.

"Oh! But your chest. Can I see?" He smirked slightly at her, and she rolled her eyes back.

"Sit on the bed. Even if it is healing a God's rate, it can't be fixed yet. And at the very least the bandages will need changing," she said, feeling better for taking control. She gingerly walked through to the sitting room, suddenly very conscious once again of the towel she was wearing. But he had helped her. It was only fair she returned the favour quickly. She picked up the first aid kit from where she had abandoned it the night before, and made her way back to the bedroom.

Loki was lying on the still-unmade bed, his battered green and silver armour beside him. The bandages she had applied the night before covered some of his chest, but enough pale skin was still visible for her to see how toned he was. She supposed it was a side-effect of being a God, having perfect physique, but she was surprised at how built he was. Next to Thor he looked thin and scrawny, but now she could see that he was as strongly built, if slightly less bulky. She coughed and moved forward, her eyes falling to the ground. She hoped he hadn't caught her staring.

* * *

He watched her approach from across the room, noting how careful she was of her leg. Maybe he had slightly overdone her injury. He hadn't been sure exactly how tough humans were, so he had made her fall quite hard. Ah well. She would heal. Right now, she was sat beside him, her slight frame bending over his chest. His arms were behind his head, a cocky pose. It wouldn't be convincing if he let all of his old self go – he needed to keep some of the cool, superior attitude.

"Can you sit up a little? I want to take these bandages off," she said. His hearing was more sensitive than a human's, and he heard the slight huskiness in her voice. He complied, lifting up slightly, making sure to still wince a little. She worked quietly, examining the wound, cleaning it, then applying fresh bandages.

"You mentioned food, I believe?" he said when she was finished and had begun packing up. When she glanced at him, he made sure his eyes were on her exposed legs. He saw the flush creeping up her neck, and smiled inwardly. Outwardly, he hung his head and tried to look embarrassed at being caught.

"Yes, I did. I only moved here yesterday, and well, as you know, things didn't go perfectly. So how about we go out and find somewhere?" He nodded his assent.

"I'll drive if that's alright. I don't particularly fancy walking on this leg," she said with a small nervous laugh. He still unsettled her. She would probably be smart to pay heed to that instinct. But he knew he wouldn't give her a chance to.

**Author's Note: Your comments and favouriting and follows really do mean so much. Thank you all for your support! x**


	7. Chapter 7

There was awkward silence in the car as Jane drove, Loki staring out of the window with a bored expression on his face. She tapped her fingers on the wheel nervously, not knowing quite what to say.

"It's best I go in myself to get you clothes," she eventually blurted out, her voice too loud for the car. She blushed a little, and coughed before continuing in a quieter tone.

"You aren't the most popular person here on Earth. I'm sure once you're in normal clothes though, people won't recognise you."

"Very well. I shall wait in this vehicle," he said, not bothering to look at her. She was confused by his hot and cold attitude; one minute he was doting on her, checking her injuries and looking lost and reliant upon her, and the next he was acting as if it was a great injustice that he had to stoop to her level of conversation. She frowned a little, her hands gripping the steering wheel a little tighter. Deep breath in, deep breath out. She knew who Loki was. No doubt the kind side of him was an act to get her to help him. She just had to accept that.

"When are you going back to Asgard?" she said, trying to keep her tone light and cheerful.

"I do not know how to, and I doubt I would be welcome." Again, the tone was condescending.

"Yes, of course. Although, you know, your dad held a proper funeral for you. I went, and so did Thor. Actually, your brother was the one who arranged it all," she said, a little warmth creeping into her voice. She waited for his response, but it didn't come. Glancing to the side, she saw his gaze had now fallen to his feet, a look on his face that she could only describe as sad. A second later though, his head was back up, the bored expression once again plastered to his face as he watched Earth whizz past the window.

They arrived at a small shopping centre, and she rolled the windows down slightly to let air in. He looked at her questioningly in response.

"It's so there is enough air for you to breathe while I'm gone. It's what we do for dogs," she said. The look on his face instantly made her regret that last bit, and she leapt out of the car, locking the doors and running away before he could respond. When she was inside and out of his sight, she couldn't help having a little giggle. Had she really just compared a God to a dog?

Jane headed straight for Gap, figuring if she got him a pair of jeans and a couple of nice shirts, she could then bulk it out with Primark stuff. She went in trying to pick out things that she could see Loki in, but soon gave up on that. All she could picture him wearing was green and silver armour. He was going to have a new look. Dark blue slim cut jeans, a checked shirt, two tee shirts, and some jumpers from Primark seemed like the best choice. She also got him a pack of socks and a pack of boxer shorts. She debated shoes, but had no idea what size to get him. It had taken her longer than she had expected to select the clothes, and she could see Loki's fed-up expression from across the car park. She hung her head sheepishly and hurried to the car.

"Right, you need to change before we go get something to eat," she said once she was settled in the car.

"Very well," he replied, looking like he was trying hard not to roll his eyes.

"You can go in the back," she said.

He stepped out of the car, and she winced at the clearly noticeable sight of his tall frame decked out in, admittedly ragged and damaged, armour. He still looked resplendent and out of this world though. He was in the back of the car in a flash, and before she could look away from his reflection, he was shirtless. She quickly looked away, the now-familiar feeling of a blush beginning to creep up her neck. She closed her eyes, and silently counted; only reaching the fifties before she heard the car door open.

She opened her eyes and looked at him. He had on the jeans and shirt, un-tucked, with his black boots looking much more subtle with the outfit. She felt herself gawking awkwardly, and quickly shook her head and looked straight ahead. She smiled at him as he sat next to her again, and he tentatively smiled back. She was beginning to realise that when he felt vulnerable, or was confronted with something he was unsure of, he would seemingly turn to her for help. It made her happy, although she knew it shouldn't. This was the man who tried to take over the planet. The God of Mischief, as Thor had once called him.

She drove to a little café in silence, and he kept twitching in his seat, clearly not yet comfortable in his new attire. She took a deep breath after she had found a parking space, and looked at him, nodding in a strangely formal way. She mentally chastised herself; why was she being such a fool with him?

"Let's go then!" Her voice came out overly cheerful. She was so nervous of someone recognising him. She realised just how much taller than her he was when he unfolded his frame from the car and came to stand by her, dwarfing her petite frame.

They walked into the café, and thankfully it was fairly quiet. They found a booth straight away, and took seats opposite each other. A waitress appeared, and handed each of them a menu, rattling off the specials. Jane wasn't really paying attention, trying to see if any of the customers had noticed and recognised Loki. For now though, they seemed safe.

"What're you going to get?" she asked him after giving him a couple of minutes to read the menu.

"Errr…" She had never seen him look so stumped. She couldn't help but laugh, trying to hide it behind a cough and her menu.

"I'll take you to a 'café' on Asgard, and then we'll see how funny you find it," he responded, scowling at her. It just made her giggle more.

"Okay, I'll order," she gasped out, making eye contact with the waitress.

"Hi, can I get an all day breakfast and a tuna and cheese Panini please? And two fresh orange juices," she said, smiling.

"All day breakfast? Surely that stops it being breakfast?" Loki said.

"Stop being smart. It's breakfast food. You know, bacon, eggs, beans, that kind of stuff."

"And 'tuna'? What is that, pray tell?"

"A fish," she said, smiling at him. Her giggles had passed, and she smiled at him, happy that he was asking her for help. There was a bit of a silence then, before he broke it.

"Thank you, for the clothes. I do not know how much they cost, or how much this feast will be, but I will find some way to reimburse you." His tone was formal, but he smiled at her, and she could have sworn there was some warmth in his eyes.

"Nah, don't worry about," she said. "I got some of that from Primark, which does super cheap stuff, and a café like this wont charge much."

"Still, I am in your debt, and not just for that. You have helped heal me, and offered me a place of rest. I am grateful."

She was surprised by the honesty in his gaze, and smiled.

"Again, don't worry about it. I was going to be in that place on my own, so it was nice not having to be alone. Darcy, Ian and Erik left for America yesterday," she said, feeling sad to know that they would probably be home by now. Loki was frowning slightly in response to her statement.

"I feel I owe Erik an apology." Loki was full of surprises today it seemed. This was not the God she knew. "What I did to him was," he paused, "unkind."

Jane didn't know how to respond to that.

"Anyway, let us not talk of unhappy things. How is your leg?" he said.

"It's sore, I'm not gonna lie, but I think I'll recover. It wasn't nearly so bad as your chest," she said.

"Ah, but I heal faster than you, little human," he said, his tone lightly mocking. She harrumphed at him, pretending to be insulted.

"One all day breakfast, one tuna cheese melt, and your drinks," the waitress said, interrupting their talk.

"Mmm, thank you," Jane said, smiling at her. She glanced at Loki, but no thanks issued from him. She gently knocked his thigh with the toe of her good leg, and he looked up at her. She slightly tilted her head towards the waitress, and she saw the light bulb turn on above his head.

"Ah, yes, thank you madam," he said, before smiling at Jane for her approval. She smiled back. They ate in silence, Loki seeming to genuinely enjoy the food.

They walked back out to the car, and she smiled and blushed when he held the door for her, before going round and settling in his seat.

* * *

He sat in the car, one hand resting on his belly, looking content. Jane was focused on the road, and he smiled slightly at the way her eyebrows creased when she concentrated. He shook his head, and pulled himself upright. He shouldn't let himself be distracted. He felt he had displayed enough warmth towards her for now, so plastered a bored look on his face. It was surprisingly easy, considering it was how he truly felt about this planet. He saw her look at him, and the slight look of disappointment at his expression. She was playing into his hands beautifully.

**Author's Note: I'm afraid I probably won't be updating for a day or two as I have an exam approaching. But after that I will be free for weeks, so plenty of Loki goodness will be coming your way! I did make this chapter a bit longer, so I hope you forgive me for taking a brief break! Thank you for reading x**


	8. Chapter 8

When they got home, Loki asked if he could use the bed. She saw him wince a couple of times when he thought she wasn't looking, and it was clear that although he was healing, he was still in a lot of pain, and no doubt the superhuman speed of his recovery had drained him.

"Of course you can. Let me make it up first," she said, going to dig out the duvet and sheets.

"Here you go," she said when she'd found them. She began tucking the sheet onto the mattress and, unbidden, Loki went to the other side of the bed and began helping. She smiled at him, and he smiled back.

"Thanks," she said, as he helped her put the duvet cover on too. She hadn't really thought of it, but Loki must not be used to looking after himself. No doubt he and his brother had grown up with very luxury. She doubted that he had ever made a bed, or cooked a meal for himself.

"Thank you," he replied. He began unbuttoning his shirt, and she felt that far-too-familiar blush. How could he constantly bring that flush to her cheeks?

"I hope you sleep well. If you want, I'll wake you up when its dinnertime," she said, as she turned to leave him to undress in peace.

"That would be wonderful. Thank you," he replied, and she felt a slight shiver in her spine from the deep tenor of his voice.

She heard him get into bed, and seconds later there was silence. She smiled a little to herself, and began to unpack all of her boxes.

Hours later, she collapsed onto the sofa, utterly exhausted. She had planned to go out and get food to cook for dinner, but a pizza delivery leaflet had been posted through her door earlier that day, and it was sorely tempting now.

* * *

Loki let his eyes flicker open slowly, trying to look half-asleep. He could smell some kind of food, and let his gaze turn to her. She was stood half in, half out of his room, clearly unsure of what to do with herself. Her slight cough had 'woken' him, and he smiled gently. Her timid answering smile was almost endearing.

"I got food," she said, smiling a little more at his nod. She was so easy to play. He couldn't believe how she was falling so perfectly into his clutches.

"Thank you," he lowered his voice ever so slightly – women seemed to _melt_ that little bit more when he did. "I shall come and have some in a moment," – he returned to a little more formality. He had to be so careful. If his plans were to play out perfectly, he needed to have her truly believe that he had feelings for her, and that he was reformed. So carefully, carefully he would bring her round.

He got up after she had left the room, and pulled on one of those detestable 'tee-shirts' that humans liked to wear. He plastered a smile onto his face and went through. He sat in silence beside her, looking around the room.

"It looks lovely," he said, and she smiled. Her hair was mussed up and there was dirt smudged on her forehead – clearly she had spent the afternoon unpacking.

""I am sorry I did not help you," he said, trying to look sincerely apologetic.

"Oh no, really, its fine. I'm glad you got some rest," she replied.

They continued to eat in silence for a little while, before he took in a deep breath and let his gaze drop to the floor.

"I was thinking that I would like to return to Asgard," he said. She stopped eating mid-mouthful and stared at him for a moment, before physically shaking herself and carrying on nonchalantly. He waited for her response, desperate to know if he had timed this stage correctly.

"Is that smart? You aren't exactly the most loved of the Asgardians at the moment" she said after a while.

"That is true. But if what you said was true, they held a funeral for me, and Thor has been encouraging people to think more kindly of me. I believe that hiding my existence from them would only further their distrust," he said. He could see her agreeing with what he said, but she seemed reluctant to agree.

"Your father had you imprisoned for the rest of eternity. Do you really think he would change his mind just because he thought you'd died?" She said exactly what he wanted her to.

"I know, and it was a perfectly just response. I wish to make peace with him, and of course, I hope that he does forgive me. But if he chooses to see the penalty through, I shall not oppose his command." He let his words sink in, and saw the surprise in her eyes when she registered what he had said. He could imagine what she was thinking, how shocked she was that Loki of all people had accepted the error of his ways and was even willing to take horrendous punishment for it.

"Well…" she said, but tailed off, clearly not knowing how to complete the sentence.

"The only question is, how do I go about returning?" he said.

"Yes, I suppose that is the problem then. And you will have to find a way to transport two people," she said.

"Two people? Why?" He pretended to be bemused, secretly overjoyed at how well he had manipulated her already.

"I owe you my life, Loki. I am not going to let you go alone. I want to be there, I want to talk to your father. I need him to know that you are not just evil, that there's good inside of you." There was a surprising amount of passion in her voice, and for a moment he felt a twinge of what could only be described as guilt. But he brushed it aside.

"It will be dangerous. The way I plan to travel may not even work. And when we are in Asgard, it would not serve you well to show your sympathies lie with me," he said, sounding genuinely concerned.

"I don't care. I am coming too."

**Author's Note: I can only apologise for the lack of update for the past few days, things got a bit hectic. But I am back, and ready to give you plenty of Loki and Jane goodness! I may even have a very special Christmas present up my sleeve ;) Thank you for your support, and again, I am very sorry that this chapter took so long to go up! **


	9. Chapter 9

She had fought to follow him, and although he was certain she had confused and surprised herself by doing so, already she was playing into his hands. He smiled to himself at the thought of how smitten she would soon be with him. The next step was to start 'building' something that would transport them back. It could be slightly tricky, he was aware, as she had an admirable knowledge of the 'science' behind what he was to attempt.

He pondered on the matter for a little while, listening to her tossing and turning in her sleep. He was on the sofa, and she had the bed. Being a gentleman, of course he had insisted that she took the better option. Perhaps it would be better if he strayed a little closer to the truth regarding their return to Asgard. He would achieve it through linking a tiny fragment of the bifrost with the main one, and so teleport them back. He could arrange to 'find' it in the rubble around where he had supposedly fallen to Midgard, and then use it. It would certainly be more likely to convince her that some scientific explanation that would no doubt be clearly flawed to her.

* * *

Jane slowly blinked her eyes open, a smile on her face. She had been having the most delicious dream, of hands slowly sliding up her thighs, lips pressed to her neck, and lithe body pushing against her own… she shook herself. No point dwelling on a dream that was already fading. She couldn't even remember who the mystery lover was. She got out of bed and pulled on clothes, before heading out to find Loki. He had been a gentleman and insisted that she took the bed while he slept on the sofa. She smiled at the memory of how insistent he had been.

"Morning," she said, smiling at him. Her leg felt better today, and she had slept well. She felt peaceful and charitable towards him.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" he politely enquired.

"I slept fine thanks," she said, feeling the blush creep once again up her neck as she thought of her dream again. "You?"

"I slept perfectly well. Although I have been awake for some time pondering my return to Asgard." She felt her smile fall away a little. Was she really going to return with him? In the cold light of a new day the prospect suddenly seemed a lot more daunting. To stand up for Loki against the Allfather could possibly put her in a lot of trouble. But then she remembered him saving her life, and how kind he had been during his stay with her. He couldn't possibly be purely evil and still do all that. He needed, and indeed deserved, to have someone to stick up for him.

"When and how are we going?" she said, with a note of resolve in her voice. He smiled tentatively at her, and she returned the gesture.

"Please try not to frown upon this, but I have a stolen artefact, so to speak, with me," he said, his gaze dropping guiltily to the floor.

"What did you steal?" she said, trying not to sound parental.

"A piece of the Bifrost," he said, sounding even guiltier.

"You did what?!" she said, louder than intended.

"I thought it could come in handy," he said, the casual phrase sounding odd coming from his lips.

"You cannot just steal the Bifrost!" She was shocked.

"I didn't steal all of it! Just a tiny fragment," he said, sounding like a petulant child.

"Will it work?" she said, after a pause.

"To get us there? Yes, I believe so," he said, smiling at her a little to see if he was off the hook.

"Lets see it then." She said, crossing her arms and refusing to return the smile. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a little shard of rainbow coloured material that resembled fluid glass. She forgot for a moment what he had done, and stepped closer to admire it. It truly was stunning, the colours shimmering and changing before her eyes. She stared at it transfixed for a few seconds, before backing up.

"How could it work?" There was a doubtful note in her voice.

"It is still part of the main Bifrost, even though it is not technically connected. It should link us to it and provide a direct route to Asgard."

"Should?" she said, cocking an eyebrow at him.

"It has never, to my knowledge, been attempted before. But I fail to see any reason why it should not work. Clearly it is still active," he said, holding up the shimmering shard for her to see.

"Is it dangerous?"

"No, of course not," he said, a little too quickly.

"Loki…"

"I don't know for certain. But as I said, I don't see why it wouldn't work," he said, trying to reassure her.

"When are we going?" she said, and his grin was huge. She couldn't help but smile back, her crossed arms falling to her sides.

"How soon would you be able to?" he replied.

"Let me call Darcy. Then we can go." She couldn't quite believe she was going through with this. It was madness. But he needed her, and she wanted to help him. She owed him for saving her life at the very least, and to her surprise, she actually wanted him to be pardoned, regardless of any debts owed.

She went back into her bedroom, her knees suddenly feeling weak and wobbly. She sat on the edge of her bed, and pulled out her phone. She had to take a few deep breaths before making the call, not sure what she was going to say to her best friend.

"Hi Darcy, it's me," she said, and couldn't get a word in edgeways for the next few minutes, as Darcy updated her on everything going on in her life. When Darcy finally paused for breath, she seized the chance and blurted out the truth.

"I'm going to Asgard with Loki." She was met with a worryingly empty silence.

"Darcy? Did you get that? I'm going to"

"Yes, yes. I heard you." Her tone was flat. "With _him?_ Wasn't he _dead?_ What the hell is going on?"

Jane spent the next few minutes telling Darcy everything. It felt fantastic to finally talk about it all, and once she had started, she couldn't stop. When she had finally told all, she waited for Darcy's reply anxiously.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Go!" she said, and Jane felt a huge grin spread across her face.

"Really? You think I should?"

"Yes, if you think its right, go for it! But be careful. Stay out of trouble. And yes, Loki counts as trouble." Jane was overjoyed at having her friends support, and she obeyed orders and said goodbye, ready to head to another world with a man who had tried to take over her own.

**Author's Note: Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it, and I wish for peace and happiness for those who don't! I'm pretty excited about them being off to Asgard, so will update soon! Thank you again for reading, reviewing favouriting and alerting! It means a lot to know people care.**


	10. Chapter 10

"Are you sure I don't need to bring anything?" Jane said. Loki could clearly see that she was stalling. She kept glancing at the glistening fragment in his hands, and he knew she doubted its powers. To be honest, he did too. It had taken him most of the way back to Midgard, but it had slowed towards the end, which was why he had walked the rest of the way. It wasn't strenuous, just irritating. However, it had given him time to use her crude 'phone' to track her exact whereabouts.

"Everything you need shall be provided there. Even if I am not pardoned, Thor will see to your wellbeing," he said, reassuring her. He smiled and held out his hand. It was a little forward, but the feel of her small, smooth palm in his showed how distracted she was by her nerves. They stepped outside together, and he arranged them so that they were stood facing each other.

He took a step closer to her, as close as he could be without actually pressing his chest against hers. He tilted his head down as she tilted hers up. Gripping the crystal in one hand, he placed his other hand on her lower back, feeling the heat of her body through her clothes. He gently applied pressure, and she moved forward, the length of her body now pushing against his. Tentatively, she slid her arms around his waist, and shut her eyes, resting her head against his chest. Even though she was no longer looking at him, he couldn't help but smile.

He allowed her to rest there for a minute, feeling the flutter of her heartbeat as he began to squeeze the bifrost fragment. It was heating up, and put his other arm around, being careful not to let the now painfully hot shard touch her. In response to his embrace, she tightened hers. He smiled a little more, enjoying the physical representation of the trust she put in him.

Darts of light began to fall around them, similar to when using the main bifrost, but not as many, and not as bright. It was going to be a rough journey.

* * *

She tried very hard to supress her scream when she felt her feet leave the ground, and although it seemed impossible, she managed to squeeze Loki even tighter. His answering squeeze reassured her a little. She couldn't bring herself to open her eyes, but she could tell that this was different to the times when she had gone with Thor. This was shakier, and it felt much slower.

She hung onto him for what felt like hours, and she couldn't remember the exact moment at which he had started stroking her hair. All she knew was that the gesture was surprisingly soothing.

"Jane, open your eyes," he said, his low voice and breath right by her ear, making her shiver. The sound of her name on his lips was divine; he managed to give it a sense of importance and gravitas.

"I cant," she managed to squeak out, her voice decidedly un-sexy compared to his.

"Please, Jane," he practically purred her name that time. She was glad her legs didn't have to support her weight at that moment.

She braced herself, still feeling wind whipping through her hair as they were carried along, and cautiously blinked her eyes open. She gasped, unable to help herself.

They were moving through space, faster than she had thought, but the ocean of stars around them seemed stationary. There were millions of them, all around, clusters and clouds of galaxies seeming so close that she felt she could reach out and brush against them. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Her grin only increased when she saw the same overjoyed and awe-filled expression on Loki's face.

"See?" he said gently. She could only nod, unable to form words.

* * *

Loki couldn't help but smile at the look of pure, unadulterated wonderment on her face. He too appreciated the beauty around them. It was spectacular.

They arrived in a backstreet of Asgard, and he lost his balance, the sudden halt unexpected. He fell onto his back, and although he tried to keep a grip on her, Jane rolled off to the side, making a rather endearing 'oomph' sound as she did. He rushed over to her, but she was already pulling herself to her feet and dusting her clothes off.

"We made it," she said, smiling at him.

"Indeed we did. However, I fear that the journey here may have been the easy part," he said, turning serious.

* * *

Jane had the strangest feeling of coming home as they began to walk towards Loki's judgement. She hadn't spent much time on Asgard, but she loved it anyway. She smiled at everyone they passed. The first time they bumped into someone, she panicked and almost shouted at Loki to hide. But when she turned to look at him, she instead found a girl around her age.

"Sorry, I thought you were someone else!" she said, before turning to hunt for Loki.

"I do believe I am exactly who you thought I was," the girl replied, and her smirk was unmistakable.

"Loki?" Jane said, lowering her voice to a whisper.

"Indeed. Shall we?" he said, gesturing for her to continue. She had to admit she was impressed at how easily he had disguised himself.

They continued on, until the reached the centre, a magnificent building rising up before them.

"Name? Intention?" a guard said, looking bored. Loki, still in disguise, nodded to Jane to speak.

"I am Jane Foster. I am here to see Thor and the Allfather." She tried to sound confident, but there was a nervous squeak to her voice.

"Jane!" she couldn't help but grin when she saw Thor coming through the doors behind the guard. "Let her through! It's Jane," he said to the guards, his voice booming with the confidence she had failed to achieve.

"Jane Foster. How are you here? And why?" he said, as he scooped her up into an embrace.

"She is here because I took her with me," Loki said, stepping out from behind her, his disguise gone.

"Loki?" Thor said, freezing for a moment before pulling out Mjölnir and yanking Jane behind him. "How?" His voice was now hoarse.

"Brother, I come in peace. I mean you no harm. I wish to speak to father, to explain," Loki said, holding his hands up in a gesture of peace and surrender. Thor didn't seem to know what to do, and stayed in his position.

"Thor, let him explain. Give him a chance," Jane said, placing a hand gently upon his back. Her words have the desired effect, and he relaxed.

"I thought you were dead," Thor said, his voice still hoarse, as he strode over and seized Loki in an unexpected embrace.

They hugged for an awkward moment, before Thor released him, both of them coughing awkwardly.

"You wish to see father? Well then, let us go. I want to hear your explanation as much as he does," Thor said, before striding off, Loki and Jane in tow.

**Author's Note: Here you go, another one! I am so excited to have them both on Asgard! Thank you for the comments and follows and favourites and reads! They mean a lot. It's why I keep going! (That and the gorgeous Loki of course ;) )**


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